The Most Important Step For Flavorful Ahi Tuna Poke Bowls

Working with fresh ahi tuna in a poke bowl can seem tricky. Determining whether your tuna is safe to eat raw can be confusing, as terms like "sushi-grade" are not regulated. But there are specific steps like low-temperature freezing that should be followed to ensure raw fish doesn't contain parasites. Once you've sourced your tuna you're left with another problem. How do you flavor your poke without messing up what makes it so fresh and delicious in the first place? Well, all you have to do is consider how poke is sold in its home state of Hawaii to get your answer. In grocery stores, it's dressed up in all kinds of sauces and marinades before being left to sit in chilled displays. The people of Hawaii know the most important step for tuna poke is marinating your fish, which will infuse it with plenty of flavor.

When making something like a tuna poke bowl recipe, you don't just want to dress the fish and serve it right away. Let the poke sit for at least 15 minutes, or up to a few hours after you toss it with your sauce, which will allow it to marinate and fully flavor your tuna. No matter how long you let your poke marinate you'll want to let it sit in the fridge to keep it safe.

One of the great things about tuna poke is that the most important step is also the most fun. Marinades are where you can get really creative with your poke bowl, and you don't need a ton of different ingredients to mix things up. Hawaii is a melting pot of cultures, and the most common forms of poke seasonings on the islands rely on a mix of Asian-inspired ingredients and flavors to marinate the tuna. The basic marinade, which will be delicious and put the most emphasis on the fresh tuna flavor, is just soy sauce or shoyu with sesame oil, and some onions and scallions for aromatics. Oyster sauce is also sometimes added to this mix for a little more creaminess and depth, or sambal chili sauce for some heat.

But that's only the beginning. Whipping up a miso-ginger marinade with a little soy sauce will make a wonderfully complex poke with a mixture of fresh, nutty, and umami flavors. Or skip the sambal and swap in some wasabi for a sinus-clearing bite. Creamy poke using a mayo-based sauce with sriracha and soy sauce is also a popular choice and works well as a marinade. And if you want your poke to have a little more pop, acidic additions like lime juice or rice vinegar will brighten everything up. There aren't too many rules for your tuna poke marinade, you just have to remember to give it a little time.